Eleven

“Friends don’t lie.” -Eleven from Stranger Things and me, describing Grace  

Good ol’ Gracie turned eleven years old this week so here are eleven photos to celebrate her past year. Be sure to watch the video at the end - it captures the true essence of my beloved pup in a way no words could ever do  

^ All in all, Gracie’s not that much of a bed sleeper. She prefers her cozy bedroom chair or as a throwback to her feral ancestry, a good solid snooze on the floor. But as I jump into bed at the end of each day and wake up at the beginning of the next, there she is, tucked up close to me and slumbering like an angel. I treasure these moments. 

^ Those honey brown eyes are trained lasers that follow me every moment of the day. 

^ I know this look : “It’s walk time, lady. Get on it.”

^ Pausing by flowering shrubs along our way on a walk. I am way more into these photoshoots that she is. 

^ For as much as this girl loves her creature comforts and knows her way around a pile of pillows and some throws, she doesn’t seem to mind the snowy cold. She is truly a woman for all seasons. 

^ This is Gracie waiting in the car for me at the airport. I've been gone for ten days. As much as I live to travel, I hate hate hate to leave my pup behind. 

^ Of course she lies on a towel by the pool. She's not a heathen. 

^ We go for a walk every day. E V E R Y day. Gracie loves it. The neighbors comment on it  And I can't imagine living any other way. 

^ This year, we've begun something new. Every night at bedtime, Gracie romps up the stairs, leaps on the bed, sits herself down in the middle of this vintage red and white quilt, and chomps down three baby carrots that I offer her. And as I watch this big galoot hork down her bedtime snack in a most uncivilized fashion, little bits of carrot flying to and fro,  two opposing thoughts always flash through my mind: first, “Oh my lord, my mother would be shocked and sickened to see this horrifying mess unfolding on her beloved quilt,” and second, “No, she would not. She would be truly and completely delighted to see her redheaded granddoggie enjoying a tasty treat in such a comfy spot.” And I smile to think of how happy they both must be with our new bedtime tradition. 

^ Girl knows how to fill up a couch. 

^ When I leave the house without her, I give Gracie a special goodbye, lay out a towel on the laundry room floor, and go out through the laundry room door to the garage. And here is where she patiently waits until I return. 

^ Looking for a place to rest while Mom does a bit of yard work? The answer is often quite obvious: right in the middle of whatever she's doing. 

* * * * *

And here it is. As promised, this video captures the most Gracie-ish thing Gracie has done all year, perhaps in her entire life. She is a darling optimist, a precious problem solver, and a dog of remarkable appetite. 

Happy birthday, Gracie. I love you dearly.